Cape Town Travel Guide | Best Things To Do

Everything you need for your Cape Town travels is here!

Cape Town flaunts its natural beauty with pride. Rising above the city, iconic Table Mountain provides the perfect plateau for panoramic views that stretch to the glittering Atlantic, botanical gardens beckon from its slopes, and the city’s long blonde beaches, backed by towering peaks, are some of Cape Town’s best.

Bubbling beneath the surface is an irrepressible sense of adventure, and travelers can join in the fun with a range of outdoor activities, from hiking, biking, surfing, and paragliding to whale-watching trips and cage dives with great white sharks.

Best time to visit: 

So, the best time to visit Cape Town is between May to September because this is the dry season and you can visit most of the places and enjoy the beauty of this awesome country.

Languages spoken: 

Next, the languages spoken in South Africa are of 13 different types, but the most common language spoke is Zulu (23 percent), followed by Xhosa (16 percent), and Afrikaans (14 percent). English is the fourth most common first language in the country (9.6%), but is understood in most urban areas and is the dominant language in government and the media. So, now you won’t have a problem while on a trip to Cape Town because you can easily communicate in English.

Things to keep in mind: 

Before we start we just want to make you aware that South Africa is considered one of the countries with a high crime rate. In this case, I would suggest avoiding carrying any kind of expensive things or cash
while within the city, try to make use of cards for payments. While making a plan for a trip to Cape Town please check all the visa requirements online and complete them beforehand for a smooth trip.

Best things to do:

TABLE MOUNTAIN

Table mountain in Cape Town.

Rising 1,087 meters south of the city center, flat-topped Table Mountain is the most photographed landmark in South Africa and a constant reminder that nature is queen in this stunning seaside city. A layer of clouds, called the “tablecloth” frequently cloaks the mountain’s peak, but when the clouds clear, visitors can enjoy the spectacular views of Cape Town.

KIRSTENBOSCH NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDENS

Kirstenbosch national botanical gardens in Cape Town.

In a beautiful setting on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens are part of the Cape Floristic Region UNESCO World Heritage site. More than 20,000 native South African plant species are collected, grown, and studied in the hilly 528-hectare nature reserve of indigenous forest and fynbos. The garden is set against the backdrop of Table Mountain, a fact that offers visitors some pretty stunning views. Hikers may enjoy a walk on the trail that starts in the garden and leads to the top of Table Mountain. Kirstenbosch is the most famous of nine national botanical gardens in South Africa.

ROBBEN ISLAND

A jail cell on Robben island in Cape Town.

For nearly 400 years, Robben Island in Table Bay was a brutal prison where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years in a tiny cell during the apartheid era. Today, the island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must-see attraction for anyone interested in South African history. Tours to the island begin with multimedia exhibits in the museum at the Nelson Mandela Gateway on the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront before travelers board vessels to the island.


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GREAT WHITE SHARK CAGE DIVES

a person swimming in the water with sharks beneath.

In the chilly waters off Cape Town’s coast, thrill-seekers can come face-to-face with one of the ocean’s most feared predators: great white sharks. Protected by the thick bars of an iron cage, divers score a hefty dose of adrenaline as these magnificent creatures swim within inches of the bars.

BOULDERS BEACH PENGUIN COLONY

Penguins at boulders beach in Cape Town.

There aren’t too many places in the world where one can walk on the beach, sunbathe or swim with penguins as companions, but Boulders Beach is one of them. Two penguins settled on this beach, an hour’s drive from Cape Town, in 1982. Now more than 2,000 penguins call this beach home. These African penguins sometimes called “jackass” penguins.

VICTORIA AND ALFRED WATERFRONT

Victoria and alfred waterfront in Cape Town with a view of table mountain.

The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is considered one of South Africa’s most popular attractions, with its stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean, Table Bay, and Table Mountain. The waterfront also is home to art galleries, an aquarium, an amphitheater with live entertainment that is usually free, and a ship museum, among other attractions.


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BO-KAAP

Colourful buildings in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town.

Bo-Kaap is a multicultural area, home to Muslim mosques and shrines, and the Bo-Kaap Museum showcases the life of early Muslims in the area. It’s brightly painted with uniquely-styled houses. visitors say the best way to explore Bo-Kaap is on foot.

CLIFTON BEACH

Clifton beach in Cape Town.

Cape Town has some of the best city beaches in the world to offer. Clifton Beach is certainly the trendiest of them all and is situated on the west Atlantic side only ten minutes from the city center. Clifton is actually a series of four beaches separated by a stretch of granite boulders. All the beaches have almost pure white sand and offer beautiful views and sunsets.

CAPE POINT

The Cape Point with a view of the sea.

Spectacular scenery is a good reason to visit Cape Point, located at the very end of the Cape Peninsula. Less than 65 km (40 miles) from Cape Town, Cape Point is extremely picturesque with high boulders and stunning ocean views.

CASTLE OF GOOD HOPE

Castle of good hope in Cape Town.

The Castle of Good Hope, shaped like a pentagon, is the oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa. The Dutch East India Company started construction on it in 1666 to replenish supplies for ships; its gate design includes the coats of arms of several Dutch cities.

MUIZENBERG BEACH

Muizenberg beach in Cape Town.

Muizenberg Beach is a coastal suburb of Cape Town. The sandy beach isn’t very long, but the water is warmer to swim in than other Cape Beaches.


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CHAPMAN’S PEAK DRIVE

Chapman's peak drive in Cape Town.

About 25 kilometers from the city center, Chapman’s Peak Drive, affectionately called “Chappies” by the locals is one of the most jaw-dropping driving routes in the world.

THE HEART OF CAPE TOWN MUSEUM

The Heart of Cape Town Museum opened in 2007 to honor the 40th anniversary of the first heart transplant performed here by Christiaan Barnard. Knowledgeable docents take visitors on a fascinating two-hour tour to see recreations of the operating facilities in the actual rooms where the surgery took place. The tours also explore everything from the ethical implications of the time to the history of the recipient and the donor. Even visitors with no medical background appreciate learning about the history of this life-saving procedure.

ZEITZ MOCAA

Zeitz Mocaa

Opened in late 2017, the Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa) is the largest museum on the continent dedicated to African contemporary art in the world.


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